Laying it on the Line
by Lioconvoy
Summary: Ranma 12 and Angelic Layer crossover, with self insert involved.Ranma never ends up at the Tendo's instead he arrives in the U.S. as the ward of a man he meets in Jusenkyo, and Genma arives at the Tendo's with the formar partner of his son's new gaurdian.
1. Chapter 1

From the creative moron who brought you the unfinished works, "Out There", "2 Be a Master", and "Personality" comes worst possible fic ever imagined. A self insert featuring a crossover of Angelic Layer and Ranma ½.

Laying it on the Line by Lioconvoy.

Ranma ½ is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi, and Angelic Layer is the creation of CLAMP. I own none of their characters nor do I own any of other well knows characters that may appear in this story. The story itself is mine and I ask for no money.

"Angelic Layer is a game of the mind. The toy that started in Japan has now become widely popular around the world. The current world champion young high school girl named Misaki Mihara." A red haired American woman sat at a computer typing as she spoke to herself.

"Who are you talking to old man?" said a Japanese girl from behind her.

"I'm not that old, I'm only twenty-five. Really after this last year do you have to treat me as if I was your father?" The red haired woman turned in her chair to face her young ward. The Japanese girl like herself was a redhead, but only when she was a girl. With hot water the Japanese girl became a Japanese boy with black hair. No mater what the hair color it was always tied back in a braid, a habit the girl/boy had picked up from the woman herself. Another habit of her ward was the wearing of blue jeans and short sleeved T-shirts no matter what the weather. Only when Ranma needed to dress up did she wear a red silk Chinese shirt, and black silk pant. Although the clothes above didn't change all that often, Ranma always wore the appropriate undergarments for his/her gender.

At present Ranma had just returned from school and was in her female form. The woman smiled at her ward. "I type better when I'm speaking what I enter into the computer. How was school today?"

"It was normal, guys hitting on me, Lyn staring at me for no reason at all, Sarah talking about boys, and Christine reminding me I need to keep my grades up." Ranma frowned. It was the decision of her Guardian that she would attend school in her female form because the rarity of hot water's presence there. This made it impossible to make any male friends so she was stuck with only female ones. Not that she would complain about the friend she made. Lyn, Sarah and Christine were all very nice. For a girl Lyn was an exceptionally good sparring partner, Sarah although a bit boy crazy was also an expert of fending them off, and Christine helped her keep her grades up. "We're going to have a study session after they're done playing with those dolls at the Piffle Princess."

"Angels. Those dolls are called Angels. Angelic Layer is a lot more then just playing with dolls. It's a sport of the mind, the stronger one's will, the stronger one's Angel. In the end the strongest will wins." The woman turned around in her chair and typed out the later part of what she had just said. She then pushed her chair back and stood up. "Any way what I'm working on is a favor for a friend. Icchan asked me to write a biography on Angelic Layer for the American players."

"How does the father of Angelic Layer, Ichirou Mihara, know the down and out writer Lioconvoy?" Ranma smirked.

"Hiraishin and I operated out of Japan for a bit and we stole some of the prototypes. We almost ruined him. I felt sorry for the guy and returned them without asking for my usual finder's fee." Lioconvoy said as she walked past Ranma out of her office.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Somewhere in Japan a masked man sneezed as he was selling a panda to the zoo.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

The now male Lioconvoy stepped out of his room and into the living room carrying a platform. He then walked back in grabbing two head sets and a shoe box. The now male Ranma watched as he took out two Angels from the shoe box. "I thought you said you returned the prototypes?"

"I did, these are from the first sales production, Icchan gave 'em to me." Lioconvoy took out one of the Angels, which was dressed in ninja gi, he inspected before setting it down.

"Okay let me get this strait; you stole some of the prototypes, returned them, and then became good friends with the guy?" Before Lioconvoy had become Ranma's guardian he and his former partner had been con-artist. After Lioconvoy's partner pushed him into the spring of the drowned girl, the same spring Ranma's own father had knocked him into; the two went their separate ways. Hiraishin fled Lioconvoy's wrath with Ranma's panda pop, and Lioconvoy, or Lio as he asked Ranma to call him, took him in.

"What can I say Icchan's a weird guy." Lio turned on the platform and a column of light formed above it. "This is the Layer, or actually it's a portable Layer, only on the Layer do Angels have life."

Lio took out the other Angel and handed it to Ranma. It was a red haired girl with pigtails and wearing a tight body suit. Lio then handed Ranma a headset after plugging it into the layer. Ranma then sat down in front of the Layer. "What do I do with these?"

"Put the headset on and throw Asuka into the Layer." Lio smirked.

"Asuka? You name your dolls?" Despite his comment Ranma did as he was told and through Asuka onto the Layer. She landed with a plop. "What I do wrong?"

"Everyone names their Angels, again they aren't dolls. Asuka is Hiraishin's." Lio picked up the other Angel then sat in front of the Layer himself. "As for what you did wrong, what exactly are you thinking of at the moment?"

"How stupid this all is. I don't see why Lyn, Sarah, and Christine find these things so fun." Ranma tried to will the doll to dance or do just anything but nothing seem to be happening at all.

"Before you learn to walk you have to learn how to crawl. Think about Asuka standing and only of that." Lio watch as slowly Asuka stood up. "There you go. Take things slow and as you get better it will naturally become easier to move the Angel.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

In the remote reaches of China outside the hidden village of Joketsuzoku a withered old woman balancing on a cane looked displease at her great granddaughter. She had been trying to teach her the Hiryü Shöten Ha, but Xian Pu just couldn't master the Soul of Ice needed to perform the move. "That is enough for this morning child."

"I am sorry I cannot master this technique Great Grandmother. I can't help but wonder what happen to Mu Tzu. He has not been seen in the village for over a year. Maybe he is learning some foreign magic to make me his." Xian Pu frowned.

"Child, Mu Tzu has left the village unescorted. When and if he returns you do not have to worry about him doing anything to you. The other Elders and I will take care of him. Tell me Granddaughter do you actually miss him?" As she said this she started hopping over to the village.

"Why would I miss that idiot" Xian Pu pouted a little, there were many men in the village, but they all were afraid of her because of her fierce strength, Mu Tzu was the only one who would dare go near her. Even if he was annoying she couldn't help but miss him a little despite what she had just told her grandmother.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

At the Piffle Princess two of Ranma's friends sat around a rented Layer while the third stood by and prepared to watch their Angels' battle.

Lyn's Angel Mu Tzu was a stood at the ready. The male Angel was dressed in Chinese robes with long purple hair flowing down its back and bangs covered it forehead just short of the thick glasses it wore.

Sarah's Angel Rinoa just sat on the layer with its knees held to its chest. The female Angel wore black shorts, a black tank top and a blue vest. One the back of the vest when the angels long black hair wasn't covering it you could see the pattern of white wings.

"Angelic Fight!" Christine called out.

Immediately Rinoa was up and rushing at Mu Tzu. With just a lift of an arm Mu Tzu sent a blade of wind strait towards his opponent. Rinoa jumped but the attack caught her leg and she came crashing back down. Taking advantage of his fallen foe Mu Tzu closed the distance between them. As Rinoa got up a strip of cloth caught her neck from the sleeve of Mu Tzu's robe. With force Mu Tzu lifted her by the cloth and sent her flying from the Layer.

"Victory! Lyn and her Angel Mu Tzu!" A Christine announced.

"Hey isn't that whip illegal" Sara pouted as she picked up her angel off the ground.

"It's Mu Tzu's belt. I've seen other Angels use their clothes as weapons." Lyn herself was a master of hidden weapons was proud that she was able to get that trick to work.

"I agree with Lyn it's a part of Moose clothing so I don't think it be illegal. Remember last year's doubles final. One of the Golden Pair's Angels used his bandana's as projectiles. He didn't get disqualified and that was how the Golden Pair got the Doubles championship title from Misaki Mihara and Hatoko Kobayashi." Christine smiled. At least she and Sarah wouldn't have to take on Lyn in the doubles tournament. Although neither of them had a chance in the singe tournament.

"His name is Mu Tzu, not Moose." Lyn now pouted. She had given her angel her real name and it annoyed her how easily everyone mispronounced its name.

"I wonder if we can coax Ranma into playing Angelic Layer, that way Lyn can have a partner." Sarah giggled. Upon finding out Ranma's little secret, she had been trying to get Ranma and Lyn together. She assumed Lyn had already known Ranma was really a guy and the reason she always stared at him was because of a crush.

"Can we wait until after the tournament to get Ranma interested. I really don't want to go against Moose in the doubles Tournament." Christine's own angle Fryer had an even record against Moose, but Lyn had definitely added more tricks to her arsenal lately.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

At the residence of Lio and Ranma, Ranma still sat in front of the Layer, but now Asuka was doing one of the more complicated katas of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Along side Asuka, Recca was performing the same kata just as flawlessly.

"How come your Angel can learn the martial arts, but you can't?" Ranma himself had tried teaching Lio a few times and he never got the hang of it.

"What an Angel can do is only limited to one's imagination, a person has more set limits." As Lio said this he thought about Athena's Astral Emission, Wizzard's Magic Guard, and Ellen's Reversal Hexagon. His thoughts then turned to Recca's own secret technique. "Beside even if Recca is mimicking your kata now, I assure you she doesn't move quite as smoothly under fire."

"So can we try a battle?" Ranma smirked. This might be fun after all. Asuka finished her kata and stood ready.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline. This layer is too small for a proper Angelic Fight. Surely you notice how many times Recca and Asuka almost collided during the Kata. How about tomorrow we go to the site of next week's Tournament. Icchan gave me an ID badge so we can get in no problems. You can invite the girls if you want too." Lio took off his headset and went into his room. While in there he pulled out two eggs from beneath the bed.

Ranma took off his head set as well and stood up stretching his legs. "I guess there is something to these dolls after all."

Lio returned from his room with the eggs and a few bags. "Angels, not dolls. Interested enough to make your own then? I have two Angels Eggs here, one male, one female. Both are the latest models. I've be playing around with the idea of making a second angels for myself, but I'll let you have first dibs on the eggs."

"Why not?" Ranma said taking the female egg from Lio.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Kuh Lon frowned. Her granddaughter obviously missed the stupid boy. She would rather Xian Pu forget him, he was not worthy of her. Still if he seemed worthy or not Xain Pu did care for him.

What to do, Kuh Lon pondered. Xian Pu's depression seemed to deepen every day. In this state it was impossible to teach her what she must know to one day become the Amazon Matriarch.

Two month prior the blind fool had sent Xian Pu a package. The council of elders had decided they had to inspect the package before she was permitted to know it had arrived and accept it. Inside the package was and egg and some accessories for a game that was popular in the outside world. Although there was no return address Mu Tzu had included a short note that read "Meet me on the Layer."

Although few Amazons ever left the village they were aware what went on elsewhere in the world. In a few weeks time the national preliminaries for the Angelic Layer World Championship would take place.

Maybe what Xian Pu needed was some time away from the village. Maybe she could find a strong husband on the outside. There was no doubt in her mind that the blind fool would never make it to the level needed to see her great granddaughter so no harm could come from this plan.

Now she would talk with the other elders, and then tonight she would give Xian Pu the Angels Egg.

-v-

Lio's Corner:

-Confused at where the story is going or where it's been? Good, I hope that brings you back for more.

-This story takes place a year after Ranma received his curse so he's seventeen, you'll learn more about what happened to some of the NWC in later chapters.

-For those unfamiliar with Angelic Layer, the Piffle Princess a department store where you can rent time on layers. They are the only place you can play Angelic Layer besides Tournament Arenas.

-This is a revamped version of the "Laying in on the Line" story. Upadated: 7 April 11

-As a bonus, my friend and pre-reader Hiraishin will try to add and Omake and the of each chapter, these do not take place in story continuity.

Q-Q

Omake by Hiraishin:

Genma and Hiraishin faced off. Hiraishin looked at the stump of his right arm before mournfully looking over the edge to where his hand and mountain dew went before glaring hatefully at the panda. That accursed demon god assault bomb or whatever it was took his dew. The panda held up a wooden sign.

#Soda never told you what happened to your father.#

"He told me enough! He told me you killed him!"

#No. I am your father.# Hiraishin looked at Genma in horror.

"No. That's no true! That's impossible!"

#Search your feelings. You know it to be true!#

"!" Hiraishin stopped and then glared at Genma. "I mean really. I'm neither Japanese nor a panda. What the hell are you smokin' and why haven't you shared you greaseball! It's off to the zoo with you!"

#Just try me stumpy!#

And once again the duo locked into combat.


	2. Chapter 2

From one of the two authors of what might have been the first G.I. Joe/Ranma fic "GI Ranma", the worst possible self insert ever.

Laying it on the Line by Lioconvoy.

Ranma ½ is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi, and Angelic Layer is the creation of CLAMP. I own none of their characters nor do I own any of other well knows characters that may appear in this story. The story itself is mine and I ask for no money.

In the Nerima ward of Tokyo a masked man stood in front of a Dojo, the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Less then a year ago this dojo became his base of operations. Operations that thanks to the middle daughter tended to meet in failure and jail time.

Hiraishin frowned. Once again the feeble jails of Japan were unable to contain the great and powerful Dew Master. After escaping earlier that morning he had kidnapped the fat fool responsible for his stay at this dojo and sold him once again to a zoo.

As he entered the Dojo he saw the eldest daughter cleaning the floors and sweeping the remains of bricks the youngest daughter had decimated. "Greetings Kasumi, I need Mountain Dew. I have exhausted my connection to the Dew this morning."

"Oh Kris-chan, you've escaped again." Kasumi beamed. "I'm sorry we're out right now."

"Kris? I know no Kris. I am Hiraishin!" The thief frowned. He then pulled out his wallet and handed some cash to Kasumi. "Buy me more Dew. This I command."

"Sure, would you like anything else while I'm at the store?" The family matriarch said taking the money then putting down the broom.

"Hiraishin only requires Mountain Dew, hmm, but Cheetos would be good to munch on."

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Akane the youngest Tendo daughter frowned in her room. Her life was a disaster. If the problems with Kuno and the local school boys weren't enough, her father had to make things worse by allowing his old friend and son stay with them.

The old friend was a fat, bald, and well "old" man, some of the time, but most of the time he was a panda. How and why the old man turned into a panda was never really explained to her well, she was just told it was a curse.

The old friend's son, now he was a weird one, even compared to a father that turned into a panda. He always wore black pants, a black and green t-shirt with the letters DX on the front, black army boots and now for the weird parts; a green mask covering his eyes, a black bandana covering his hair, and a black cape with a green letter "H" on the back.

Hiraishin, the son's name was a thief, always stealing things from any business located in the ward. Although Nabiki would always turn him in, after a night in jail he'd escape and be right back at their house in the morning after selling his father to a zoo.

When he wasn't stealing or in jail he was always ranting about the "Dew" or how he was a Dew Master. Strange things happened around him too. One time Kuno had came to the dojo calling him a foul sorcerer. Before he could spout off one of his usual stupid speeches he started choking. Hiraishin just stood there with his hand held out as if it was around Kuno's neck but it wasn't. Shortly after Kuno had to be rushed to the hospital and that was that last Akane had seen of him for a while. When the sword boy got out of the hospital he never again he challenged Hiraishin or came anywhere near the dojo.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

In the Juban Ward's Piffle Princess the middle Tendo daughter got up from a rented layer after defeating her opponents Angel. "You know the deal; I don't tell you where your precious ladle is until you can beat me."

"Yes I'm aware of that Nabiki. I will honor our agreement." Her opponent outwardly frowned, but inwardly smiled. Six month ago he and his escorts arrived in Japan searching for the thief that stole their sacred treasure the Chiisuiton. Shortly after arriving in Japan he met this woman who promised she provide the location of the Chiisuiton if only he beat her in this game.

At first Herb seriously tried to beat her, but as time went on he found the missing Chiisuiton a less urgent matter. Lime and Mint found themselves women, and he found himself falling for Nabiki. Japan was different then the Musk village, but he was enjoying his stay. "Tell me Nabiki, this tournament coming up. If I get farther then you do, would that be the same as beating you?"

"Do you plan on entering the singles or the doubles category?" Nabiki really enjoyed Herb's company. Although those that didn't know her well thought the deal was made so she could squeeze him for more money, the fact was she thought he was handsome and made it so she could get to know him. To all but her closest friends she was an Ice Queen who only cared only about money. Those same friends knew she wasn't close to being the Ice Queen, Jounouchi-san was.

"Hou Long, and I will be in the singles since you have declined partnering with me already." Now Herb's frown was sincere, he would have enjoyed partnering with Nabiki. However when he asked her she said she already had one.

"Hmm, I didn't plan on doing the singles myself. My partner will though, if you could beat her, or get farther then her that would be the same as beating me." At this she giggled. Her partner's angel only ever lost to the other members of their circle, normally to Hikaru or Shirahime. Last year when she was partnered with Hikaru for the doubles was the first time some one outside of their circle beat her and that was to Artemis and Ares, the golden pair.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Xian Pu tried to hate Mu Tzu. He was annoying, since childhood he never once left her alone, always asking her to marry him. Over and over she rejected him by force; it never got though his thick skull. But now he had not been seen in a little over a year, for some reason she missed the idiot. The attention he always gave her, the fact that he was willing to do anything for her even after being rejected so many times, he truly loved her. Yet she had hated him.

She thought to herself, did she truly hate him? She was trying her best too, but she knew she was failing. Maybe as much as the thought sickened her, she truly missed the fool.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Nabiki waved goodbye to Herb as he left to find his attendants. She then felt a slight tug on her sleeve. Looking down she met eyes with a ten year old with long black hair. "Time for our training Hatoko?"

"Yes." The little girl replied smiling. "Koutarou's renting a large layer for us."

"Oh, your brother's here today? Doesn't he normally spend this time training in your family Dojo?" Nabiki asked puzzled. Normally when she and Hatoko practiced it was Kaede and Sai that they spared against. Sometimes the Fujisaki sisters would show up too, and Misaki tried to make it when she could but her father like dragging her around the world over the weekends. As they continued their conversation they made their way back into the Piffle Princess.

"He was supposed to be on a date with Misaki, but she and her father went to the U.S. to calibrate the layers for the tournament. Instead of having him pine at home I brought him with me. He's not much competition, but Ringo escaped her manager and is on her way too." Hatoko may have been younger then her brother, but it was very rare that anyone could tell by the way she acted.

"What about Sia and Kaede?" Someone who didn't know the middle tendo well might think she use the chance to meet an Idol to make some profit, truth be told all she could think of was getting one autograph for Akane.

"Kaede has work and Sia's on a date." This made Hatoko giggle.

"The Ice Queen is on a date?" That news was a bit of a shock. Unlike herself, Sia really was an Ice Queen. Not as emotionless as Nabiki often pretended to be, she had emotions just never showed them, to anyone.

"Yep, he's from England and he's so persistent she gave in and agreed to go out with him." Hatoko giggled again. She couldn't wait for Nabiki to realize who Sia's date was.

"YOU DON'T MEAN RANGER'S DUES!" the shock Tendo shouted a little too loud.

"What about Ranger's Dues?" Said a young woman who was dressed like Makoto from the anime with all those freaky looking mecha. She had just snuck up behind them.

"Sia is going out with Marcus." Nabiki came out of her shock after seeing Ringo's latest disguise. How Ringo could escape her manager dressed like that she'd never know.

Finally arriving at the layer Nabiki, Hatoko, and Ringo sat down and joined Koutarou.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Ox Zi smiled as she opened a letter from her brother in America. Mu Tzu wrote her often and it was always good to hear how he was doing. Before she could start reading the letter though, there was a knock at her door.

Getting up to answer it she found the Matriarch standing before her. "Greetings Elder Kuh Lon , may I help you?"

"Yes dear, how much do you know about Angelic Layer?" The withered Amazon said hopping into the small hut. As she hopped in she peered at the open letter. "Does your friend Lyn here play it?"

"She does. She's entering her first Tournament this year." Ox Zi frowned the elders had stopped reading her mail only a month ago, but Kuh Lon would always find some excuse to stop by long enough to skim over her letters from her brother. Fortunately Mu Tzu never used his real name and never gave any details that would lead anyone to believe the letters were from him. As far as anyone who read them was concerned they were from a girl Ox Zi randomly chose to get information of the outside world from.

"Child your brother is a criminal, just because the elders are no longer worried about this girl sending you information on him it does not mean I trust her. Lyn is your family name, I find it odd that is your friends name as well." After finishing her scan Kuh Lon looked at Ox Zi. "I however am not here for that matter. The council has decided to allow Xian Pu to leave the village to play that game. I would escort my grand daughter myself, but the council decided against it. You were chosen to be her escort."

"I didn't know my Grandmother had that much faith in me." Still frowning Ox Zi figured out what Kuh Lon and the council were thinking. Kuh Lon had been grooming Xian Pu to be her replacement, but in her current state she was un-trainable. Kuh Lon saw this trip to the outside world as a chance to free her granddaughter's mind of Mu Tzu. The council saw this as chance to get rid of Kuh Lon's heir and the last of the disgraced Lyn family.

"You know she does not, like your mother before you, she thinks you disgrace her family name. Your Mother lost to your father on purpose, and you could not control your brother." The ancient Amazon sighed. "The council expects my Granddaughter to return a failure. See to it she does not and you may yet reclaim some of your own lost honor."

Watching the Kuh Lon leave her hut Ox zi smiled. She would be leaving the village. Since Mu Tzu left she had not been allowed to step outside the village gate. Now she was being set free thanks to the animosity amongst members of the council of elders. She began to pack with plans never of returning, if Xian Pu decides to return she would do so alone.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Time… it was now thee p.m. in Japan. In the United States where Lio lived it would be five a.m. Lio would not be awake for another hour. Hiraishin sat contemplating many things drinking the Dew which Kasumi brought him and munching on some Cheetos.

Among the many things going though his head the events that brought him to this place were above all else. He and Lio had traveled to China in search of the answer to the ultimate question. Despite what Lio believed it was not 42.

According to his master Soda a great Dew Sage lived in the valley of Jusendo. However it was not his destiny to meet this sage. No instead he had met Genma Saotome.

It had started as one night when their two camps happen to be near each other. At some point Hiraishin went to Genma's camp to steal some of their supplies, hoping maybe they had some Dew as his stock was running low. When he got there he was able to steal some food and some scrolls that looked expensive, but Genma's camp lacked Dew.

When he returned to his own with his haul he found his own camp now lacked Dew. Apparently while he was stealing from Genma, Genma stole from him. This continued for several days as Hiraishin decided to follow Genma in an attempt to show that he was the better thief. Lio annoyingly did nothing to thwart Genma, and Genma had a son that did nothing to stop him.

After a week they arrived at Genma's destination…Jusenkyo. It was a valley of many springs with bamboo polls in popping out of them. Genma and his son, Hiraishin latter learned was named Ranma, hopped upon the poles and started sparring.

He remembered commenting to Lio that these kinds of fights were much more interesting then Angelic Layer, which Lio often force him to play. As the fight continued Ranma knocked Genma into a spring.

The boy said something about the fight being over already and then a panda jumped from the spring onto a poll. He remembered laughing at the panda as it took a fighting stance.

The Guide there commented about it being a very bad thing, something about Spring of Drowned panda. Then another very bad thing happened, the Panda knocked the boy into a spring. The guide commented that the spring the boy fell into was the spring of drowned girl, sure enough when the boy surface he opened the gi he was wearing to reveal a nice set of breasts.

It was then Lio went to help the shocked boy turned girl out of the spring. A nasty idea crossed Hiraishin's mind, and when Lio grabbed hold of the girls arm Hiraishin knocked him into the spring as well, his payback for having to endure that stupid doll game.

Ranma, having gone under twice now, once by his pop and once by Lio falling on him, was enraged. Never had he felt such a fierce aura, not even his own power in the Dew was that strong. Thinking on his feet he fled, and the Panda with him. Since that day unless by Dewtral projection, Hiraishin never saw Lio again, from then on he was with Genma and Genma's son remained with Lio.

The recollection only killing about thirty minute Hiraishin needed something else to do, but what.

"Ah yes! Mindless destruction! Good for the soul I always say." With those words he pulled out a Gameboy and started playing it.

Lio's Corner:

- Confused at where the story is going or where it's been? Good, I hope that brings you back for more.

- I think this chapter answers both questions that were asked in the reviews. Why Ranma is with Lio, and whether or not Mu Tzu and Lyn were the same person.

- Since this story takes place in three different time zones, I may have chapters that leave out some characters while focusing on others.

- Before it gets asked, no Ranma will not end up with Akane, Shampoo or Ukyo. Who Ranma will end up with hasn't been decided yet, suggestions are welcome, although I don't think I've left many options.

Q-Q

Hiraishin's Omake

Hiraishin gazed at the two teens that stood before him as he sat on his throne.

"I sense much fear in you…Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. Suffering leads to hunger. Hunger leads to Cheetos. Cheetos leads to thirst. Thirst leads to Mountain Dew! All things lead to Mountain Dew! Do you understand!

Hiroshi and Daisuki looked at each other before shrugging and then nodding to Hiraishin.

"Yes my Master." They both replied and Hiraishin smiled.

"Excellent. Everything is proceeding exactly as I have foreseen it. Now my underling's! Your Master requires Mountain Dew! Fetch!" Hiroshi looked at Daisuki.

"Are you sure this'll get us chicks?"

"Of course it will. Trust me." The two walked off leaving a cackling Hiraishin.


	3. Chapter 3

There is one word that describes why this update took so long: Hiraishin. The worst possible self-insert ever:

Laying it on the Line by Lioconvoy.

Ranma ½ is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi, and Angelic Layer is the creation of CLAMP. I own none of their characters nor do I own any of other well knows characters that may appear in this story. The story itself is mine and I ask for no money, but please ask permission before posting this story anywhere.

Chapter 3: Steps

Mu Tzu retuned to his apartment after a long morning jog. He sighed as he tried to decide what to do today. Normally today would be a maintenance day for him, a day to remind him who he truly was. Spending as much time in his cursed form as he had been was really starting to affect him. Putting on female clothes was second nature now, and he didn't even mind wearing the revealing Chinese dress he had to wear at work anymore.

He definitely needed to be a man today; however last night Ranma's guardian had invited him and his friends to the Angelic Layer tournament site. This would be a good chance to practice on a tournament Layer, which differed from a normal layer because of its holographic environments.

Still the invite was made to Lyn, so how would the others react to a life size version of Lyn's Angel showing up instead.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Ranma put the finishing touches on his Angel. He designed Megumi after his cursed form with a slightly smaller chest. Megumi was light weight with an emphasis on speed and flexibility, according to the notes Lio lent him on angel making that was the norm these days. People like to copy the most powerful style and it was a light weight that held the championship for the last five years.

"Ranma, Lyn just called she's not coming."

Ranma looked up from his spot on the living room floor saw Lio with the phone. "Really, she seemed so interested yesterday."

"Maintenance day. She asked if a friend could join us. I'm guessing she'll be coming in her true form." Lio smile as he put the phone down in its station. "I wonder why he just doesn't tell the others about his curse. They accept you and yours."

"What makes you so sure Lyn is a guy?" Since Ranma first introduced Lyn to his guardian, Lio had insisted she was also a victim of the Nyannichuan.

"Haven't you notice the way she looks at you? It's not a look of interest, it's one of curiosity. I'm sure she wonders how you don't let your curse affect you. I'm guessing she wasn't aware the only time you were female besides school was when you hung out with your friends. She probably thought that like her, you spent more time female then male." Lio sat down on the couch and too a looked up at the ceiling. "Although I wonder how did she know about your curse?"

Ranma sat dressing Megumi in an outfit similar to Lio's Recca; sort of a teacher apprentice thing. "I guess maybe you have a point… I mean the she gave me the same look before and after I revealed my curse."  
-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Akane looked at the clock on the wall. The small hand finally reached the five and the big hand was now on the twelve, one more hour left of work. She put on a smile as a pair of customers came in. "How may I help you?"

"Well luv what would you like." Marcus said smiling.

"Two scoops of mint chocolate chip." Sai replied emotionlessly looking at the girl behind the counter. The girl seemed familiar.

"I'll get that smile from you yet Sai." The brown haired gaijin chuckled, this date had gone pretty good so far, and even if he didn't get a kiss at the end he'd consider it a success. He was wearing Sai down.

Akane started to get the woman's request. She liked working at Bobsson, but it always annoyed her a little when couples came in. Her own love life was a wreck thanks to a certain sword boy.

"You're Tendo Akane aren't you?" It finally hit Shirahime's Dues where she'd seen this girl before.

Putting the second scoop of ice cream on the cone the youngest Tendo was puzzled at the young woman's comment. She didn't recognize the brown haired, red eyed woman. "Do I know you?"

"Ah, so this is Nabiki's little sister. The way she described her though I thought she be younger." Marcus wasn't a regular to his girlfriend's little group since he wasn't in Japan often, but he heard a few stories of Nabs' sister.

Akane handed Sai her cone. She slightly wondered how these two knew Nabiki. They were at least in their twenties and didn't seem like the gullible sort. Then again the guys comment sounded like he was a friend and not a victim of her sister. "Will that be all?"

"No, I'll have a double scoop peanut butter."

"Nabiki mentioned you got a job to pay her back. She never said what it was though." Jounouchi looked over her friend's younger sister. She could see the family resemblance was definitely there but she wasn't a clone of Nabiki. She wore her hair shorter than her sister and it was balck and not brown as her older sister's was. She did share Nabiki's brown eyes, but there was a different look to them. Also the way she was behaving now it was hard to believe she was as violent as Nabiki described her.

"Unless one of her spies told her, she wouldn't know. I got a job outside of the Nerima ward so she wouldn't know how much I made." Starting to scoop the peanut butter ice cream for the young man, she couldn't help but wonder if these two were actually her older sister's friends. She didn't even know Nabiki had actual friends.

"I thought Nabs gave up on the spy business."

"Marcus, don't butcher Nabiki's name." The middle Tendo had given up on the spy business, but it wouldn't be surprising if her younger sister didn't know. Nabiki did tend to act differently around everyone outside their group.

Handing the young man called Marcus his cone, Akane went over to the register and rang up the couples cones. "That will be $6.85"

"How well do you know your sister, maybe you should get to know her better? Why not give Angelic Layer a try?" After passing his cone to Sai, the gaijin then pulled his wallet. He first started to take out a few pound notes but his companion cleared her throat and he grabbed the right currency.

As the couple left, the youngest Tendo daughter wondered what there relationship with her sister was. Also what would Nabiki have to do with Angelic Layer? Wasn't that the game with fighting dolls, Nabiki wasn't a fighter.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Outside of the residence of Lioconvoy and Ranma; Christine, Sarah, and another young man had just arrive.

Christine was very happy by the presence of Sarah's neighbor. Although she wasn't as guy crazy as her friend was, she had a crush on Kevin Kuno since she entered high school. Unfortunately the upperclassman liked Lyn.

"I wonder what Lio will think of the uninvited guest." Sarah said with an annoyed tone in her voice.

"Come on the more the merrier right? Side's I'm a friend, don't I have the right to the same advantage you guys are going to have?" Kevin smiled. Today was going to be a great day. He'd get to spend it with Lyn, and he'd get to have an Angelic Fight on an official tournament layer.

The Door opened and out popped Ranma and Lio. Lio looked over the three with an unsurprised expression on his face. "Really Kevin you say that you like Lyn but you seem to follow Sarah around like a lost little puppy."

"Mr. Convoy, that's disgusting." Sarah gagged

"Yeah, Sarah's like an annoying little sister to me that's all." A thought passed through Kevin's mind of himself and Sarah as a couple then he started feeling sick himself.

"Who's the annoying one?"

"Sarah, It's not Mr. Convoy, Lioconvoy is one word. If you feel calling me Lio is too informal then Mr. Lioconvoy will do." Lio shook his head, he explained this countless times already, but both Sarah and Christine still got into the habit of calling him Mr. Convoy.

Christine started looking around for their Chinese friend. It wasn't like Lyn to be late and they agree on meeting at seven-thirty. "Did Lyn call to say she be late?"

"Nah, she called to say she isn't coming. Said she send a friend in her place." Just how normal was it to send a friend in ones place? Despite his last year living in America he still wasn't familiar with what was and wasn't normal here. Rubbing the back of his braid, Ranma wondered when this so called friend would show up.

"How can you say that so nonchalantly?" Sarah said tilting her head. "What's her friend like?"

"Turn around and you'll see."

Christine was the first to turn around. What she saw was a Chinese boy that looked allot like Lyn's Angel. Although her Angel wore thick glasses so you couldn't see its eyes, this boy didn't and he had eyes as black as coal, also his long black hair was tied back, where as Mu Tzu's hair was free flowing, the final difference was the clothes. The young man in front of her wore black silk pants, and a white silk Chinese style shirt instead of the robes the Angel wore. Not surprisingly Sara was drooling, he was cute, just not her type.

"Just what are you to Lyn?" This man had to be a rival for Lyn. Then again…Lyn based her Angel after him, didn't she. Kevin sighed, it wasn't likely he stood a chance against this guy, and unlike his cousin, he knew when he was beaten.

Lio had to be right, Lyn was cursed too, although the former Saotome wondered, if this was Lyn's true form, or if the way he knew her was.

"Well now if were all here, let's be on our way. We can introduce ourselves as we walk to the tournament site.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Hiraishin's Dewstral form walked about Lio's empty house. He had missed him apparently. Mindless destruction was good for the soul, but bad for getting to places on time. He would have to try again tomorrow. It was unlikely that he would see his former partner here again today.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

In the Tokyo zoo, a male Panda wondered why he didn't change back when the Zoo Keeper bathed him that afternoon. Had he spent so much time a Panda that he was now forced to remain this way for the rest of his life?

"Hello Genma."

The Panda turned to see a face he had hoped never to see again, not after what Hiraishin had done to him. He quickly held up a sign that read "Master how good it is to see you"

"I can't say the same Genma. Not after what your student did to me. I will have my revenge on the both of you though. I'm sure you've already noticed you don't change back with hot water anymore. That's thanks to an item I stole from that masked fool. I wonder if he even knew what this is. It's called the Chiisuiton it locks a person in their cursed state forever. I've just come back from China and I have some cursed waters to use on him too."

Genma sat there shocked did the master just say he was stuck a panda permanently. What was he going to do…well this Zoo did feed him well and there was cute young female Panda also here. It wasn't the life of luxury he wanted but without Ranma it's was certain he'd never get what he wanted anyway.

-v-v-v-v-v-v-

Hiraishin returned to his body and decided to look over his things. He needed something to entertain himself and he no longer was in the mood for mindless destruction. One by one he started pulling things from his bag.

First he pulled out a book that had a cover made of flesh and pages that were written in blood. Next came a sword, it had a mystical air about it, but smelled like fish. Then he pulled out a blue hood, above the forehead was a red Cobra.

As he grabbed into his bag he expected to pull out a bucket and ladle. Feeling around in his sack, he couldn't find it. Who would dare steal from a Dewi Master? Even the middle Tendo was not so stupid as to do such. Someone would pay dearly. Dearly indeed.  
-v-v-v-v-v-v-

After a bit of a walk the five teenagers he escorted reached the site of the Angelic Layer Tournament. Like other sites around the world it doubled as a theme park. Although it wouldn't be open to the public till the after the tournament started, with his connections Lio had no problem getting everyone in. "This will be the first time the U.S. will participate in the WALT. So after this you five will have a leg up on the competition."

"WALT?" Ranma looked at his guardian puzzled.

"It stands for World Angelic Layer Tournament." Christine said looking around. She had seen the park from the outside, but from the inside it seemed much bigger. "I think Mr. Lio made the acronym up himself though."

The adult rubbed the back of his hair, a bad habit he picked up from Ranma. "Yep. You got me on that one."

"Why is it they only use the environmental layers for the tournaments?" Kevin said looking ahead at the huge building surrounded by the life sized versions of the Angels belonging to Elite Four and some others he didn't recognize.

"Bugs in the system, Icchan is still working them out. It takes allot to program the environments and they need on hand support should something go wrong. It normally takes a team to keep them functional. Icchan had thought it be simple to use the technology on the average Layers, but thing haven't gone as smoothly as he planned. He's blamed the whole mess on Ogata."

"Mr. Convoy, you know the creator of Angelic Layer on a first name basis?" Sarah said looking at their chaperone.

Mu-tzu rolled his eyes. He wondered if the blonde got people's names wrong on purpose. After he introduced himself she kept calling him Mousse, she said she wouldn't call him Mu-tzu because she didn't want to confuse him with Lyn's Angel. Although, she called the Angel Mousse anyway.

The redhead just sighed and nodded. "Yes, Icchan and I are friends. I was even present at his wedding."

"Hey Lio, who are all those girls surrounding the building." To Ranma they looked like Magical Girls almost, yet Lio said that Angelic Layer was for everyone, so why would they have Magical Girls as mascots.

"Those are statues of the Elite Four, as well as some of the other various national champions." The male Amazon had been studying everything he could about the angels that stood in front of them. No matter what he'd make it to the finals and see Xian Pu.

"Elite Four?"

"The Angels of the Top Four Dues's; Misaki Mihara, Hatoko Kobayashi, Kaede Saitou, and Sai Jounouchi. They are considered the best of the best, even though all of them have taken losses. The redhead, Hirkaru, is the angel of Misaki Mihara the current Champion five years running. She's also the step daughter of Ichiro Mihara the founder of Angelic Layer." Christine beamed with pride as she talked about her heroes.

"Does that mean her Angel is top of the line?" Ranma figured it was no wonder she was the champion with that sort of advantage.

"Actually Hikaru is an older model as is Suzuka. Blanche and Shirahime are like Recca, they're both from the first release. It doesn't matter how advanced an Angel is, the winner is decided by the spirit of the Dues and their faith in their Angel." Lio looked at all the statues as they climbed the steps of the building. He was a bit surprised to spot Recca, but more surprised that Athena was no where around.

"Hey where's Athena?"

Apparently Kevin voiced his own thoughts. "I was wondering that myself"

Lio's ward looked about expecting to see an actual woman they were supposed to meet or something. "Who's Athena?"

"Athena is the Angel of the first champion and mother of Angelic Layer. She's also the mother of Misaki and wife of Ichiro Mihara." Sarah joined the search for who was in her opinion the greatest of all angels.

"When most people think of Angelic Layer they think of Athena, even though Shuu retired after Misaki beat her for the first time and Athena hasn't been on the layer since." Kevin's mind wandered to his cousin who had stolen one of the statues of Athena and kept it in his room. Tatewaki was such an idiot.

"Oh." As Ranma looked around he noticed Lio's Angel. "Hey old man you won a championship?"

"No, I'm not sure why Recca is there."

"Recca?" Christine was answered by Lio pointing to a female redheaded angel dressed in male ninja garb. "That's your Angel?"

"Yep." Lio took out an ID card and slid it through a slot by the door. Slowly the sliding doors opened. "You guys ready to see the layer."

-v-

- Lio's Corner:

-Ranma's Angel is named after Megumi Hayashibara, the voice actress for female Ranma in the Japanese version of the Anime.

-Why did I use dollars in Japan? I'm not to well versed in Yen for one. Second in the Japan scenes the characters are speaking Japanese, it's just auto translated, same thing for the scenes in China.

Q-Q

Hiraishin's Omake:

Lio stared at Hiraishin who walked throught the door with not his normal mask, but a blue hooded cowl.

"What in God's green Earth did you do now?" Hiraishin stared defiantly at Lio.

"Hiraishin hath done nothing wrong! Hiraishin hath only beat the holy hell out of some punk that tried to get the last Mountain Dew, but Hiraishin was victorious and as a penalty Hiraishin took his mask and now Hiraishin wears it as a prize." Lio rolled his eyes.

"Yeah whatever. I'm leaving before something else happens." As Lio left, A man decked out in a red uniform with a symbol of a corbra in white came running up to Hiraishin.

"Cobra Commander! At last we found you! Hurry! Zartan has gone mad and eaten Wild Weasel!" Hiraishin grinned beneath his mask.

"Sweet!"


End file.
